A DEVELOPER has slammed Herefordshire Council's 'wishful thinking' in switching 300 homes planned for Holmer on the northern outskirts of Hereford to a site south of the city at Bullinghope.

Supporters of the switch - outlined in the council's revised Unitary Development Plan (UDP) - say that these homes will help secure funding for a Rotherwas access road.

Critics have claimed that a new South Wye suburb would worsen existing traffic problems, destroy a designated area of great landscape value and lose the provision for affordable homes that the Holmer development had.

Crest Nicholson Developments told the Hereford Times this week that it remained committed to the Holmer homes despite disappointment at the UDP proposal.

John Ilett, development executive with Crest Nicholson, said that five years of surveys, research and co-operation with the council had been overturned on what appeared to be 'wishful thinking and partial information'.

"However, we will take part in the public consultation over the UDP. The public should be aware of the key planning issues. We can deliver the homes, including the essential affordable housing, without the difficulty of bidding for major funding. We will also put our case to the UDP inspector, from whom we would expect a fair and balanced report," said Mr Ilett.

A vote to stop the swap suffered an overwhelming majority defeat when Herefordshire Council met last Friday.

Councillor Chris Chappell proposed the vote, saying that a 'political decision' saw the homes switched south. He urged the council to explore other alternatives in funding the Rotherwas access road.

Councillor George Hyde said that the development was necessary to help finance the access road.

"Unless we do something, Rotherwas industrial estate will continue to struggle," he said.